More From The MotoGP World Championship Event At Jerez

FIM Moto2 World Championship: Mika Kallio (36) leads Toni Elias (24) and a group of Moto2 riders at Jerez.

Jerez, Spain - 5 May 2013: Scott Redding secured his second podium finish of the season today in Jerez, with a measured ride to second place in the Spanish Moto2 Grand Prix. The race was won by Esteve Rabat, who now leads Redding by just one point in the Moto2 World Championship standings.

Mika Kallio made a quick start and managed to fight his way up from 15th on the grid to quickly join the group battling for fifth place. The 30-year-old Finn could maintain the same pace as the riders ahead of him, but was struggling to find a way past. 15 laps into the race Kallio went underneath Dominique Aegerter at turn six to take eighth place, but lost the front as he turned in and crashed out of the race.

Livio Loi marked his Grand Prix debut by scoring his first championship point with 15th place in today's Moto3 race in Jerez. The 16-year-old Belgian had just moved into 14th when the race was red flagged after a crash for Alan Techer, but was credited with 15th as the regulations dictate that the results are decided on the last full lap before the race was stopped.Redding and Kallio now head to Almeria for two days of testing, while Loi travels further North to test for two days in Aragon.

Scott Redding #45: 2nd"It was a strange race. I'm full of a cold at the moment, so the fact that it just got hotter as the race progressed meant I was fatiguing towards the end. At the start Rabat managed to creep away; it was just one or two tenths a lap, but it was enough to pull away. I tried to go with him, but it was feeling a little bit risky so I backed off to do my pace, that I knew I could maintain. It worked out pretty well. The tyres were spinning up a bit, but my lap times were okay, it's just that Rabat was quicker today and I just have to accept that. I'm happy to be on the podium again."

Mika Kallio #36: DNF"We made more changes to the bike ahead of warm up this morning but, while there was a definite improvement in rear grip, there was still something missing. The plan was to make up as many places as I could in the opening laps, which I managed, but when I got on the back of the second group, I just didn't have the drive out of the turns to set up a pass. Every lap they were pulling around five metres on me out of the turns, which meant I had to claw that back on the brakes. The crash was strange, as I didn't brake any harder for the turn on that lap. I was a little bit closer to Domi and tried to go underneath him on the brakes. I didn't brake any later than usual, but my line was different, the speed was a little higher and the front closed on me. It's disappointing because a top ten finish was possible for me here."

Livio Loi #11: 15th"Starting from the seventh row I needed to make up places from the start, but I actually lost two places, which put me in the wrong group. I was trying to pass Eric Granado, but all the time he closed the door on me. When I tried to pass on the straight we clashed fairings. It was a big hit and I was lucky it was only the fairing and not my front wheel. Once I got past Granado I caught and passed Jasper Iwema and I'm pretty sure I could have caught Danny Webb if the race hadn't been red flagged. Without the slow start I think I could have been looking at a top ten finish, so we know our level now. I hope we'll see Alan Techer fully fit and back on the grid in Le Mans."

Marc van der Straten: President, Marc VDS Racing Team"After a good 2012 season I'm really excited about this season already, because I believe we will enjoy more good results throughout the year. I am happy to have seen Livio make his World Championship debut here in Jerez, and delighted that he finished in the points first time out. I think this young man will spring a few surprises on us this season, as he makes the most of what is a great opportunity with an experienced team behind him. Scott also rode a great race to finish on the podium once again today. I am proud of the fact that we are a Belgian team, but I'm equally proud of the fact that we are also truly international, as Scott's podium illustrates very well."

More, from a press release issued by KTM:

VINALES WINS MOTO3 IN JEREZ TO LEAD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AFTER ROUND 3

KTM rider Maverick Vinales was declared winner of the MotoGP Moto3 Rd. 3 when the race was red flagged after lap 15 depriving second placed Luis Salom of the Red Bull KTM Ajo Factory Team the chance to tackle him for victory in the closing stages.

The two Spanish riders finished 1-2 with Jonas Folger of Germany third on the Kalex-KTM. It was the second red flag incident so far this year. The last round in Austin Texas was also stopped when a rider required medical attention on the track. In that instance Salom benefited most when he won a five-lap restart to claim the points.

Sunday’s race on the famous Spanish circuit was held in near perfect early summer conditions and at least in the first half looked set to be a four-way battle for the podium. Vinales was part of a three Spanish rider front row, all on KTMs and was joined by pole-sitter Alex Rins and Salom. Together with German racer Jonas Folger, they broke away from the pack as early as lap three and began to put distance between them and the rest of the riders. Folger hung onto the back of the three leaders but it soon became apparent that he would find it difficult to stick with them.??

Even in the earlier stages Vinales tried to shake off the other two riders but they hung onto his wheel. Then the whole situation changed in lap 13 of the 23-lap race when Rins lost the front end of his KTM and finished in the gravel. This left it up to Vinales and Salom to fight it out and excitement rose in anticipation of Salom’s much practiced last lap attack. Any aspirations he may have had to overtake Vinales in the final corners then disappeared when the race was stopped and declared over after 15 laps.

Strong rides by other riders on KTM-driven bikes?Other good results for riders on KTM-driven bikes included Niklas Ajo, who was sixth after a third row start, closely followed by Malaysia’s Zulfahmi Khairuddin in seventh place. Arthur Sissis, who was hampered in Austin Texas with an injured hand finished in twelfth. Jasper Iwema and his young teammate Livio Loi finished at 14 and 15 on their Kalex-KTMs. Loi is a graduate from the Red Bull Moto3 Rookies and made his debut race Sunday after celebrating his sixteenth birthday this week. He also picked up his first World Championship point for his efforts.

?The next round of the competition takes riders to the historic Le Mans circuit in two weeks’ time for Rd. 4.

Conditions were perfect for the Moto3 Spanish GP at Jerez today. As a result, the early pace was frenetic at the front, with the fastest lap achieved on lap 2 -1'46.948. After that, a pace in the mid-1'47s was established, with Rins, Viñales, Salom and Folger at the front of the field. Rins crashed out on lap ten as a series of accidents hit the race, including one for Alan Techer that caused a premature stoppage to the contest. With the medical team attending to the French rider, the red flag was shown on lap 17 -more than the two-thirds race distance required. Viñales was awarded the victory, ahead of Salom and Folger.

MAPFRE Aspar rider Jonas Folger had qualified in seventh place, but he was a clear favourite for a podium spot at Jerez thanks to his speedy pace all weekend. He moved up three places off the line, slotting into fourth by the first corner. Despite tyre problems past the halfway point of the race, he was able to take a podium finish that was his first of 2013. It was also his fifth rostrum for the MAPFRE Aspar Team.

Teammate Eric Granada also got a good start and went up the order. He lacked pace at the start of the race, but grew in confidence as the laps went by and placed nineteenth at round three.

3rd Jonas Folger: "This weekend has been difficult but positive. We were always ahead in the free practices, but in qualifying several setbacks relegated us to seventh place on the grid, so we had to work hard right through this morning in the warmup session. At the start of the race, with fresh tyres, I feel quite comfortable. I was able to keep pace with the leading group, but as the tyres degraded I began to get bounced about a bit. The bike seemed to be trying to throw me off, so I had to slow up a bit so as to not take risks. Being optimistic, we are finally on the podium this year and every day we are getting closer to the leading trio. At Le Mans we have to keep working to go that step further. The base of our bike is very good, but we have to improve a couple of points in order to draw closer."

19th Eric Granado:"Today I finally managed todo better than in the two previous races. I have learned to be aggressive and that allowed me to gain some positions. I thought I was able to follow the group that was in front of me, but I lacked a bit of pace and determination on some corners and they got away. At that moment I was passed by a few riders and I lost a bit of concentration, but fortunately in the end I managed to pick up the pace again. It was a shame about the red flag, because I think I could have moved up a few more places, but if a rider needs treatment then it is the right thing to do. I am satisfied because I learned a lot this weekend; now I have to continue working to improve our race pace."

For those who had believed that Moto2 times had been fast this weekend, today during the race the pace was increased yet further. Unlike the race in Austin, at Jerez there were few surprises. Fastest in qualifying and practice, Esteve Rabat dominated the 26-lap intermediate category race. He blasted away early and set a blistering pace. Most in the top ten were riding virtually solo, with late excitement coming from a battle between Takaaki Nakagami and Pol Espargaró. Intense heat and tricky track surface conditions, which produced a series of crashes, were obstacles overcome by the Moto2 competitors. Rabat won the contest, ahead of Redding and Espargaró.

Today the MAPFRE Aspar riders ended a positive weekend with solid results. Both had been working hard to find solutions to a rear grip issue, but Nico Terol and Jordi Torres reaped the rewards for their efforts. Fifth and seventh on the grid, Torres and Terol sought to maintain position on the early laps and avoid problems in the frenetic opening stages of the race. With that aim achieved, they rode together for a time. Terol managed to break free eventually, focusing on riding his own race, and placed fifth. Torres was accompanied by three riders, ceding position to Xavier Simeon on the last lap as he was forced to sit up on the brakes. He finished seventh in the race, taking nine points from Jerez. Terol claimed eleven points and both are ranked in the Moto2 top ten after three races.

5th Nico Terol: "The truth is that it has been a difficult weekend here. In practice and qualifying we had problems due to a lack of grip. With that in mind, we have to take fifth place as a very positive result. Yesterday in qualifying we worked hard to find the best setup possible. This morning, during the warmup session, we had a good pace, although it was slightly slower than the front runners. Of course you can always aim for more, but we are satisfied with this result. This week has been tough for me on a personal level, so I want to thank my family and the team for all their support. I want to send a big hug to my uncle; I'm sure you are sending me strength from wherever you are. We've had two very good races, we have gained the confidence we needed and surely now we will find it easier to keep this up. I've also learned to start solidly and and control the first stages of the race, which are always crazy in Moto2."

7th Jordi Torres:"I'mhappy because I started pretty well and this allowed me to hold position. I was finally able to get a good start and keep that up on the early laps, which is a big plus. My idea was to increase the pace as the race went on, but as the temperature rose it was harder for me to control the bike -both under acceleration and under braking. I made a couple of mistakes, but luckily I was able to adapt my riding style to the circumstances today. At first I stuck on Nico's rear wheel, but when I saw that he was escaping I kept calm. My pitboard said that I had a rider behind me, so I tried to shut the door and keep my position covered. It's hard when you are always thinking about what is going on behind you. On the last lap I tried to defend my position, but at Dry Sack I was almost thrown off under braking and Simeon got past me. Nevertheless, I am very happy about the result. I learned a lot this weekend and I was always amongst the top riders. Overall, it's positive."

More, from a press release issued by San Carlo Team Italia:

MotoGP Moto3 - San Carlo Team Italia FMI scores its first Top 10 in Jerez

Romano Fenati is ninth after a strong comeback, Bagnaia 26th after a pit-stop due to tyre issues.

During the Moto3 race in Jerez, Romano Fenati (San Carlo Team Italia FMI FTR Honda#5) forced his way back after starting in 18th position, closing in ninth place after a hard battle against Masbou, McPhee and Sissis.

The race was red-flagged on lap 16 after a crash by Techer that left him with a concussion (the rider is OK), with Viñales winning on a KTM bike.

After showing strong improvements during QP, Francesco Bagnaia (San Carlo Team Italia FMI FTR Honda#4) was forced to return to the pit-lane because of a problem with his rear tyre. The Italian rookie put up a generous effort after re-joining the race, closing in 26th position.

Romano Fenati (San Carlo Team Italia FMI FTR Honda#5), 9th, 27'20.101"It was a comeback race. The team and I are still working on finding the best setup for my Honda-FTR. We can still do a lot better, but being back in the Top 10 gives us confidence for Le Mans, where the goal is to do a better QP to battle at the front."

Francesco Bagnaia (San Carlo Team Italia FMI FTR Honda#4), 26th, 29'25.003"I had a problem with the tyre and was forced to enter the pits, losing a lap. After that the bike worked well, as yesterday, so we take this as a step forward. I want to score points in France. I'm confident and eager to race again."

Roberto Locatelli (FMI Technical Coordinator)"It was a good race. It's unfortunate it was red-flagged because Romano could have taken advantage of the final laps as we made some changes during the WUP to this end. He could have been 5th, but this is racing. Pecco had some chattering issues, but it's important that he's gaining experience and improving race after race. We'll start with this certainties in Le Mans. We still have work to do, but our method will help us to find the right balance."

More, from a press release issued by NGM Mobile Forward Racing:

Bitter Jerez race for the NGM Mobile Forward Racing riders

The Jerez Grand Prix of Spain at the Circuito de Jerez comes to an end for the NGM Mobile Forward Racing riders and their SpeedUp bike.

Simone Corsi, slowed down due to the grip problems of the rear tire, managing to arrive in fourteenth position. Right behind him were Alex De Angelis and Mattia Pasini, unable to repeat their Austin race performance and finishing in today’s race in fifteenth and sixteenth position. Closing the forward ranking today was Ricky Cardús, who had a lack of feeling with the bike during the Spanish racing weekend.

Difficult race for the NGM Mobile Forward Racing Team, who is now looking forward to the two day testing this upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday at Estoril in order to test new parts before the GP of France at Le Mans.

Simone Corsi – 14th“I was expecting something more of today’s race. We used a new setting for the race; maybe it was a bit of a gamble with which I was not able to get the right feeling with the bike. Right at the beginning of the race I gained positions but was sliding a lot with the rear tire. I am not happy with today’s results; the gap with the Rabat and the fourteenth place from today is not a position that I want to be in. We have two testing days ahead of us at Estoril where we will continue working. Lets hope that Le Mans will be better for us.”

Alex De Angelis – 15th“We were able to get one point today. After this morning’s warm up I can honestly say that I would have never imagined being able to get in the points at the end of this race. If we compare the race results to the free practices it was a good result, even if making a good result has a different meaning for me. We were not able to make the comebacks that we have done in past races and I didn’t have the same pace as the top guys. I knew from the IRTA test during preseason that it would be a though race here and I hope that this problems we had this weekend is only due to the type of track. I hope we will be able to be back in the front group where we have already seen we have the potential to be in.”

Mattia Pasini – 16th“I knew today’s race would be difficult but I was hoping to have a better second half of the race like I did at Austin. I was able to maintain a good pace throughout the race but had a forty seconds gap with the fastest rider, a gap that is close to the one the other SpeedUp bikes have, of thirty-five seconds. We have ended another race and take with us data to analyze that will be useful for the next race. We have the potential to win and we have to take full advantage of it.”

Ricky Cardùs – 21st“It has been a tough weekend, the toughest so far this season. We knew this track wouldn’t be an easy one for us. My mechanics have worked very hard this weekend and we know that we still have a lot more to do really competitive at all the race tracks. I want to turn a page and think about the up coming race.”

More, from a press release issued by Avintia Blusens Racing Team:

Toni Elías, ninth, manages to make the top ten againA fall prevents Kyle Smith from seeing the chequered flag at the Jerez GP

Jerez, 5 May 2013. The Moto2 race started with a special atmosphere in the stands of the Andalucian circuit and the Blusens Avintia began with the intention of improving the results obtained in the qualifying and placing themselves as higher as possible at the end of the twenty-six laps of the race. Toni, who started from the fourth row, succeeded in finishing ninth, but not before recovering from a mediocre start that made him be fourteenth during the first lap. After placing himself in the top ten, Elías had to fight with Schrotter in the last part of the race to overtake him on the final lap.

More complicated was the race of Kyle Smith who entered the pit-box to repair some bike parts, after a touch with another rider on the first lap. He returned to the track but things did not improve much for the nice Blusens Avintia rider. Kyle fell at the halfway point of the race, being definitely out of it.

24 Toni Elías, 9th +24.221: We have taken a step forward and improved the position but it is not enough. During the weekend we have done good sessions and we have been placed quite high, however, today I have not had feeling with the front wheel and it has been very difficult to hold there. I have fought hard to keep the pace and it has been a pity the fact that a gap has been made immediately with the front group and I have not been able to catch them. Although we must be positive and recognise that we are making progress, I am not happy at all. We have to improve to be with the first riders.

9 Kyle Smith, NC: It has been my first withdrawal in the World Championship and it has been here in Jerez and this makes me mad. The race has been hard from the beginning because in the first turn I have been left outside and many riders have overtaken me. When we have arrived at the long straight of the upper part of the circuit, I was recovering and taking advantage of slipstreams and, when I have realized, the corner was over. I have not been able to avoid colliding with other riders and I have had to enter the pit-box to repair it. When I have returned to the track the gear change cam was very high and it was difficult for me to change. At the end I have fallen and I have had to withdraw. I hope that things will go better in France.

More, from a press release issued by QMMF Racing Team:

Anthony West scores twelfth place in a tough battle

QMMF Racing Team rider Anthony West scored a hard-fought twelfth place at the Spanish Grand Prix. The 31-year-old Australian not only struggled with a lack of front end feel and a lack of rear grip on his Speed Up bike, but also had a frustrating encounter with rival Simone Corsi, who pushed West off the line early on in the race. Even though, West was happy with the overall result, especially since he and his team learned more about the remaining set-up issues with his Speed Up prototype that will be addressed in a two-day-test in Portugal next week.

The race of West’s young team-mate Rafid Topan Sucipto was also full of unexpected events. When the 18-year-old from Jakarta, Indonesia, got lapped towards the end of the race, he didn’t realise that Pol Espargaró was right behind him and held the Spaniard up for three corners. Espargaró still managed to get ahead of his immediate opponent Nakagami to score third place, but Sucipto nevertheless went to his garage straight after the race to apologize.

Anthony West – 12th place“I didn’t have the best start, but I was able to get back into a similar position from where I started. I was tenth or eleventh on the first lap and I felt comfortable enough on the bike to try and catch the two guys in front of me. I was just getting into the rhythm of the race when Corsi passed me. It was not a clean move, he pushed me wide off the track and as a consequence, I lost contact to the two guys in front of me. The whole race I could see them, they were just there, but I couldn’t catch them. It was the best pace I could do with the bike because it didn’t feel as strong as I expected it to be. I really struggled a lot. I am lacking front end feel and I don’t have enough grip on the corner exits, which is why Tom Luthi got me in the end – he just opened the throttle and pulled away. We know what our issues are, which is why we are going to test in Portugal on Tuesday and Wednesday, trying to fix them and to return stronger at Le Mans!”

Rafid Topan Sucipto – 28th place“When Takaaki Nakagami came from behind, I realised what was happening and I let him pass, but I was unaware of Pol Espargaró being so close as well. It was an unintentional mistake not to let him overtake straight away, so I went to his garage after the race and said sorry!”